KVNE praise band sings at the Teachers Appreciation event on Thursday. (Jennifer Scott/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

To inspire and energize local teachers for the upcoming school year, Christian radio station KVNE hosted a Teacher Appreciation program on Thursday afternoon. The event included lunch provided by Javi’s and award-winning motivational speakers who delivered uplifting messages, creating an atmosphere of encouragement and support for the educators.

“We really want teachers to feel that appreciation we have for the job they have, caring for our kids all day,” said Jennifer Bailey, Vice President of Marketing & Community Connections of KVNE.

Based in Tyler, KVNE is a Christian radio station that broadcasts a variety of Christian music, programming, and talk shows aimed at providing inspiration, encouragement, and faith-based content to its listeners. The station is known for its community involvement and support for local events and organizations.

“We have ministry partners … where we focus on different people or different nonprofits in our community and highlight them on the air and volunteer with a local organization to get to know more about them,” Bailey said. “Our mission statement includes connecting our community, encouraging others and informing people of Jesus. So, we do a lot of outreach programs like this.”

Roughly 110 teachers attended the event, drawing participants from areas that extended beyond Tyler, including Mount Pleasant, Longview, and Marshall.

Tammy Whitehurst, a former teacher-turned-motivational-speaker, opened the program with a series of witty and humorous remarks, setting an engaging and lively tone for the event.

“What you’re gonna get today is Southern twang with a smidge and a yee-haw and a whole lot of truth, a candid conversation on full throttle because Southern teachers are tougher than a $2 steak and rougher than a rooster leg,” she told the crowd.

She provided both comedic relief and insightful words of wisdom, balancing humor with valuable advice that resonated deeply with the audience.

“There’s so much power in words,” Whitehurst said. “There’s so much power in the way you look at a student with worth. One person can make a huge difference in the life of another; it can make or break them.”

Whitehurst dedicated many years to teaching before she recognized another purpose that led to pursuing a different path, leading her to explore new opportunities and directions beyond the classroom — including obtaining a women’s ministry certification.

“Once you teach, you’re always a teacher … whether it’s adults, preschool, middle school or high school,” she said. “I remember sitting in the superintendent’s office where I taught school and I said ‘I know that 10 or 15 years is all I’m gonna do in this classroom. I know I’m supposed to go in a different direction … not because I don’t like teaching but because God is changing my audience.’”

One of the other speakers, B.J. Garrett spoke of the hardships she had growing up as a child. She was sexually abused, her mother traded her for groceries, and she lacked basic hygiene, often facing judgment and ridicule — even from teachers. At 14, she became pregnant with her daughter.

Sharing traumatic experiences can be deeply challenging for many people because it requires revisiting painful memories and exposing personal vulnerabilities, which can evoke intense emotions and discomfort. However, Garrett used her story to highlight the profound impact that a single supportive teacher can have.

“I wanted to encourage them to really look and see the child that’s in their room,” she said. “All of the demands that a teacher faces, from Band-Aids to heartache, I wanted them to see that there may be a child that is broken and … (teachers) need to be there for them.”

For Garrett, author of ‘Unwanted No More: From Exploited to Embraced by God,’ it was the guidance and support of two remarkable teachers who showed her the way when she needed it most.

“My math teacher … he was the first teacher that I felt like saw me and encouraged me to believe that I was more than the things that were happening at home,” she said. “The other teacher … showed up at my house, took me to lunch, bought my baby diapers, baby wipes and cute little frilly dresses. I was a scared pregnant 14-year-old teenager and … she loved me even though I was completely broken.”

Garrett channeled her own traumatic experiences into creating a sanctuary for women by founding Selah, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting those who have been trafficked or are at risk.

“No mistake was ever really made in my life,” she said. “It was hard. It was ugly … but I celebrate my story because there was a plan and a purpose for my life and I’m living that out.”

For Connie Harper, who is a teacher’s aide for the special education department at Spring Hill ISD, the program was a heartwarming start to the new school year.

“We needed to know there’s a team like KVNE that’s praying for us,” she said. “It means a lot. Sometimes we start the school year and we get carried away and overwhelmed by the stress of it all and it just feels good to know that you’ve got a team rooting for you.”

From the moments of laughter to the instances of heartfelt reflection, the teachers truly valued and appreciated the program for its ability to encompass a wide range of emotions and experiences.

“I loved how Tammy made us laugh and how she shared her own personal stories of the school year … and B.J. for sharing her personal experience of being the forgotten kid, one who was abused and neglected,” Harper said. “It was a great program and thank you to KVNE for showing their appreciation.”